No one teaches us how to care for someone who is dying because, in general, this is not talked about. We ignore the fact that caring for someone in that trance gives us a unique opportunity to reflect on our own finiteness and transcendence.

When a patient is faced with a serious illness, he or she often feels a deep isolation due to fear, and a sense of withdrawal. Therefore, it is crucial that there are people willing to care. That sick person tomorrow may be me, a family member or a loved one whom we want to help in the face of suffering. This is where palliative care comes in: a caring medicine that complements curative medicine.

October 12 marks World Palliative Care Day, a date that invites us to reflect on its importance and the progress made since World Health Assembly resolution WHA 67.19 in 2014. This resolution urged countries to integrate palliative care into their health systems.

Palliative care improves the quality of life for patients and families coping with chronic and life-threatening illnesses by relieving pain and other physical symptoms, as well as providing psychological, social and spiritual support. It can be provided at any stage of illness and in conjunction with curative treatments, helping patients to live actively until the end.

The partnership between the family and the palliative care team ensures that all the needs of the sick person, physical, social, emotional and spiritual, are met. Bereavement support, which begins even before the loss, financial aid helps family members to cope with the loss and cope with grief.

This comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach is essential to alleviate suffering and provide safety and confidence.

In 2014, the World Health Organization highlighted the need to include palliative care in health policies and improve access to essential medicines such as morphine. It also stressed the importance of training healthcare professionals in this area and promoting research to improve the quality of services.

In the ten years since then, significant progress has been made, although important challenges remain. In many countries, awareness of this care subject has increased and training programs have been developed, improving the quality of care. Access to basic pain relief drugs has also been facilitated.

However, globally, only 14% of people in need of palliative care receive it, with inequalities particularly pronounced in low- and middle-income countries.

Restrictive regulation of morphine and other drugs remains an obstacle, and lack of financial and human resources limits the ability of many countries to provide quality services.

Governments should develop national policies and strategies that integrate palliative care into the healthcare system, creating legal frameworks that facilitate access at all levels. It is essential to train health professionals through training continuous in medical and nursing curricula.

Ensuring access to medications such as morphine is crucial, reviewing and modifying restrictive regulations. In addition to physical symptom management, psychosocial and spiritual support for patients and families should be included.

Finally, it is also vital to raise public awareness through awareness campaigns and Education. Implementing all these steps ensures accessible and quality palliative care.

As the world's population ages and the burden of noncommunicable diseases increases, the need for palliative care will continue to grow.

It is necessary to create community networks sensitized to the value of care, to collaborate with local organizations and train to volunteers so that they can accompany. These strategies help to create supportive and compassionate communities that improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

In addition to laws and government decisions, numerous initiatives have emerged to address this need. For example, Pallium Latin America strengthens training in palliative care, supporting health professionals in their work throughout the region. Initiatives such as Pallium Canada and project Pallium in Spain train non-specialists to integrate palliative care into healthcare systems, promoting earlier and more comprehensive access.

Other organizations, such as Pallium India and the New Health Foundation in Spain, mobilize communities to provide care and support for people with advanced diseases.

World Palliative Care Day is an opportunity to recognize the progress that has been made and the many challenges that remain. Three out of four people will require access to palliative care at some point. Much remains to be done and care is everyone's business.

This article was originally published in The Conversation. Read the original.